ANGUSSOLA or ANGUSSCIOLA, SOPHONISBA, Italian portrait painter of the latter half of the 16th century, was born at Cremona about 1535, and died at Palermo in 1626. In 156o, at the invitation of Philip II., she visited the court of Madrid, where her portraits elicited high praise. Vandyck is said to have declared that he had derived much knowledge of the true principles of his art from her conversation. She painted several fine portraits of herself, one of which is at the Uffizi. A few specimens of her painting are to be seen at Berlin, Milan, Rome, Bergamo, Madrid and in private collections in England. She had three sisters who were also celebrated artists.